How far do you have to commute to justify wearing full on bike kit?

I pedal the short distance daily between Lancaster and Morecambe - about 4 and a bit miles and mostly flat. I do it in my work clothes as I don't see the point of getting changed or showered for such a short distance. I can break a sweat if I press on the pedals but if I knock it down a notch or two I only get mildly moist

But almost everyone else I seeis all lycra'd up with fluro this and softshell that.

My commute to work is about 3.5 miles via the most direct on-road route. I could do the ride there in road clothes no problem as it's slightly downhill and usually with the wind, however it'd be a different story on the way home.

Even on the way in I do tend to push for a 20mph average speed which gets my heart rate up and a bit of a sweat going.

Until recently I did a 15 mile round trip in normal clothes (+ helemt & gloves) and working away I now regularly do 18-26+ mile evening rides in normal clothes. It's not necessary to 'look the part' all the time.

Oh, and we're going touring soon (200 miles of up to 40 mile days) and same as last year, my only further concession to cycling gear will be decent cycling shorts under my normal shorts. I'll probably ride most of it in sandals too.

Wouldn't do more than a couple of miles wearing a shirt I intended to wear all day at work. And in summer it's a no-no anyway, wear a lightweight tech top for the commute and then change into work short at work.

7 miles and I ride in all conditions - I don't use top notch kit I use cheap but functional Lidl stuff - So when I get there wet and muddy then I can get changed and dont stink - I don't mind getting up a sweat!

Only time I'd consider wearing normal clothes is if I was riding a few mins round the corner to the pub or a mates house or something.

Commuting I have a rucksack which makes my back a bit sweaty, the route has hills and is nearly 20 miles. I've got full changing/shower/drying facilities at work so it'd be daft to consider anything else.

I can only speak for myself and do what I want just as I expect everyone else to do what they want. I just wanted to understand what other folks did and what they considered a distance worthy of the hassle of getting kitted up and then changed for work.

I certainly don't want to change or decry what others are doing - its a free country and all

^^^ is the standard British approach to everything and the reason why cycling is far from ingrained in our culture.

Cycling is sold as physical activity. Physical activity is like sport. Sport requires special equipment. Special equipment for cycling = fluro jackets worn in the height of summer and going to the shops in lycra.

More people would ride bikes to go to work/the shops/on local journeys if a perception of cycling wan't that it was a separate and specific physical activity, rather than just a way to get around.

Theres far too many people who seem completely scared to getting slightly sweaty on the way to work. Maybe its because bikes are sold as "sports" goods rather than just plain old workhorses, or maybe because you have to adopt vehicular cycling methods which mean you're going flat out? it seems to be lumped into the "exercise" category like going to the gym or for a run, but go a bit slower and you get no more sweaty than walking, or even getting the bus/tube/train on a hot day. wierd. And its pointless going faster to save time if you need to spend 5-10 minutes getting changed at the end.

Having said that, i get changed because i don't want to wear a hole in the crotch of my smart trousers.

Old workplace, 2 1/2 miles, work clothes no problems.
New workplace, 11 miles, suitable gear. No shower accessible, so wipe down and change.
I could see 4 miles would be my threshold and may depend on the day ahead at work, if there was a meeting I may not push as hard as one of those quiet days where no visitors expected. Wear the gear if there was opportunity to expand on route home.

Cycling is sold as physical activity. Physical activity is like sport. Sport requires special equipment. Special equipment for cycling = fluro jackets worn in the height of summer and going to the shops in lycra.

More people would ride bikes to go to work/the shops/on local journeys if a perception of cycling wan't that it was a separate and specific physical activity, rather than just a way to get around.

They don't go too fast! Using your figures, at 18 mph you take 23m20s to do your journey. I did an 18 mile round trip last night (on an MTB with slicks & panniers with a duff leg!) at 14mph. Your trip would take 30m00s at that pace. 6m40s slower. Time saved by not having to get changed and bugger about with baby wipes!

They don't go too fast! Using your figures, at 18 mph you take 23m20s to do your journey. I did an 18 mile round trip last night (on an MTB with slicks & panniers with a duff leg!) at 14mph. Your trip would take 30m00s at that pace. 6m40s slower. Time saved by not having to get changed and bugger about with baby wipes!

Depends what you want though doesn't it, it's not just about total time taken. Sure you can pootle along (and sometimes I do) but I like a good blast in the mornings, and if that means I need a bit more time to sort myself out at the other end then so be it.

More people would ride bikes to go to work/the shops/on local journeys if a perception of cycling wan't that it was a separate and specific physical activity, rather than just a way to get around

The number of people I see riding bikes in normal clothes (ie almost every single one) would suggest that is not an issue

I thought the thread was not about specific clothing to make riding 'better', rather how sweaty can you let your work clothes get?

I used to ride 4.5 miles in my work clothes, but I could dress casually and I'd wear semi-technical (ie non cotton) t-shirts mostly, and it was downhill on the way in. In the height of summer I'd take another shirt and just swap them whilst walking between the bike shed and the door. Oh, and I used a courier bag which really helps cut down the back-sweat issue.

PP to be fair I personally would not do a long ride in sandals.. I hate riding far in soft soled shoes, it makes it that much harder work I reckon. However I accept your choice is perfectly legitimate and will not pass judgement

The number of people I see riding bikes in normal clothes (ie almost every single one) would suggest that is not an issue

My point is more about the perceived barrier to riding bikes, rather than those already doing it. We seem to have a conflict in the UK: increasingly we see movement in favour of a more Netherlands/Belgian/Danish style of bike usage, but at the same time create an entry restriction in the way cycling is sold as a "healthy" in the same way jogging and gym membership is.

Mind you, I also have views on the prevalence of mountain bikes, rather than sit-up-and-beg dutch style bikes, as a hindrance to more mainstream cycling.

(As it is, my commute used to be 17 miles each way, so i wore cycling clothes (rather than my suit) and ride year round. New commute (as yet unridden) is 15 miles each way. I'll still wear cycling clothes. Were it 5 miles or under, I'd wear normal clothes.)

They don't go too fast! Using your figures, at 18 mph you take 23m20s to do your journey. I did an 18 mile round trip last night (on an MTB with slicks & panniers with a duff leg!) at 14mph. Your trip would take 30m00s at that pace. 6m40s slower. Time saved by not having to get changed and bugger about with baby wipes!

The whole point being I use my commute as part of my training/fitness routine - I push a little harder so I get more out of it.

For 4 miles ride I wouldn't bother wearing 'riding specific' clothing like a jersey. Would probably just ride in baggies and t-shirt. But I certainly wouldn't wear the clothing I was expecting to spend the rest of the day in.